What A Gentleman Wants - Caroline Linden

Book Title/Author: What A Gentleman Wants by Caroline Linden
Publisher/Year Published: 2006 by Zebra Historical Romance
Where I got it: The library
Rating: 3/5 stars
Challenges: A to Z Male Name: M, A to Z Female Name: H, A to Z Author: C, A to Z Book Title: W, 2011 Historical Romance Challenge

Summary: Marcus is a duke with a twin brother whom he is always bailing out of scrapes. Said twin brother decides to play a trick on Marcus by pretending to be him while he marries a good, plain country woman. When she shows up on Marcus's door step with her young child, she is just as surprised as he to find out she is not married to man she thinks she is. Cursing herself for her stupidity, Hannah finds herself in quite a pickle. She ends up making a deal with the duke and hijinks ensue.

This was a enjoyable novel. In the face of a potentially ridiculous plot beginning, it was done quite well. In fact, there was less ridiculous flounce than a good deal of romance novels without ridiculous twin plots (except maybe at the end).

The characters are very likable and the best thing about this novel. Marcus was full of snap and scorn as benefiting a duke, but inside he had that soft center. He reminded me of the character Snape in Harry Potter a bit and thus I could not help but thinking of him as a young Alan Rickman (not that this is a bad thing).

Hannah on the other hand is a strong, independent country woman just looking to keep running her own house and raise her child the way she sees fit. Once the romance kicks into swing, she displays a good deal of level headedness that many historical romance heroines lack.

For example, there was one point where the "big misunderstanding" plot could have taken over, but instead of the "Well I thought this is what you wanted even though I never asked nor made my own feelings know" Hannah even says, "What's the worse that could happen if I say something?" It was very refreshing.

Some of the subplot at the end was kind of strange, and just made the story feel like it went on a little longer than it should have. But overall I highly enjoyed this novel!